Valproic acid and Hair Loss: What Users Say

• Pal...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 6, 2018

For Bipolar Disorder "I’ve been on it for about 3 months now. I can’t say it has been good at all. Last month has been the worst - aside from the lack of efficacy, I experienced weight gain, thinning hair, tremors, diarrhea. From a ‘mind’ point of view, I have never been so confused, one minute good, the next very anxious and with lots of irrational racing thoughts (and I’ve been prescribed it over lithium for its supposed anti-anxiety properties). I’m trying to convince my doctor it’s not the drug for me. Best wishes to you all."

• Mis...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• December 23, 2019

For Bipolar Disorder "Have been on valproic acid 1000 mg. Recently was told to lower to 750 mg at bedtime for insomnia. Feel flat affect; would like my feelings back. Tremors were a problem. Less after lowering meds. Diarrhea aplenty! Thinning hair, depression, nightmares. Sharp pain in the right abdomen wakes me up from sleep."

• Bip...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 25, 2019

For Bipolar Disorder "Not for me. Didn’t do much to stabilize me at low levels and sedated me at high levels. Also, the side effects of nausea, hair loss, zero sex drive, etc., didn’t help. There were periods where I thought it was working, but those never lasted."

• hon...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• May 17, 2022

Valproic acid "I have been taking this med for 6 years, very effective to control mania but not as effective for depression (I had to take Cipralex). This med has a lot of side effects: hair thinning, memory loss, weight gaining, urination problems, fatigue (especially for high doses)... I don't recommend this med for bipolar, it's only effective for mania. 9/10 for mania, for other symptoms of bipolar and BPD: 4/10."

• Lyn...
• July 1, 2010

For Seizures "Depakote sprinkles is the formula my son was taking. It was an almost too good to be true solution for him for over 20 years. For those 20 years, he experienced the following manageable side effects: weight gain, periodic hand tremors, constipation. It also gave him a much-deserved good 'feeling.' After that, his seizures broke through and other side effects appeared, such as hair loss, skin issues, and more severe constipation. We'll miss Depakote."